


Crying on the Dance Floor

by MyStarlight



Series: The Stars Run Sweet and Carefree [1]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Childhood Friends, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-19 14:30:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20321941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyStarlight/pseuds/MyStarlight
Summary: Momo's life revolves around the dance floor. And Mina.





	Crying on the Dance Floor

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also MooMooArmy on AFF, so if by chance you've read this there first, this is not plagiarized. Just wanted to ease back into writing I guess. Also wanted to finish this, albeit a little different ^-^

Momo was happy. It was her first day of school. That wasn't why she was excited though. She was finally headed away from school towards the actual reason for her excitement. Her first dance class. She'd finally get to learn to move like her older sister and she'd kick some ass doing it. Not that she knew the word 'ass' at her young age, or that she'd be kicking any.

The studio was intimidating to little Momo, not that it deterred her in the slightest. While her parents spoke with the instructor, Momo immediately dashed off to explore. She'd seen videos of her sister in a place like this, except Hana's didn't have these fancy bars in the back. But that wasn't the most important thing on her mind. The giant mirror in the front of the room was. She ran her way through the storm of other children to the front, finally face to face with herself. She knew how the mirror in the bathroom at home worked, but she wasn't sure if it worked the same way with big mirrors. She had learned that big things work differently than small things in school that day. She brought her favorite giant pencil from home, only to have it taken away by the teacher. Apparently small pencils are better than big pencils.

Experimentally she waved to herself with her left hand. Raised her right arm all the way up, then lowered it. Closed her right eye and balanced on her left leg. This mirror was working just like the one at home. Just wait until she told her teacher that big things work the same as small things! She saw a phone in the mirror and turned around to find her parents recording her, her father muffling his amusement while her mother was no doubt zooming in. Momo stuck her tongue out and ran off to the furthest corner, her parent's laughter behind her.

She found shelter from the view of the camera. That shelter took on the form of another little girl holding her mother's hand.

"What are you up to there?"

Momo looked up to see a woman not unlike her mother smiling down at her. She stepped out next to the little girl and waved to them both.

"I was hiding from my mom. She likes recording me doing silly things. Thank you for letting me hide behind you."

"Aren't you polite! You're welcome dear." The woman gently tugged her daughter to the front. "This is Mina. She’s five years old. What's your name?"

Momo smiled and waved at the little girl again, not getting a wave back but a blink.

"Hi Mina! I'm Momo and I’m… uh…” Momo stopped to count on her fingers, for some reason needing to count them all, twice, before answering. “I’m six! Do you wanna be friends?" Momo was jumping up and down with excitement.

"Okay."

Mina's mother looked down in surprise at the meek voice before breaking into a huge smile. Mina let go of her mother's hand and let Momo drag her to the front of the room as class started. Mrs. Myoui stared in amazement for a moment before heading to the parents' seating, finding who she presumed to be Mr. and Mrs. Hirai who were, in fact, watching the video.

\---

They became known as 'those kids' among the instructors, in a good way. Their skill was the center of admiration and their parents were the subject of many, sometimes inappropriate, questions.

_What do you feed your kids?_

_What time do they go to sleep?_

_Are you pumping them full of steroids? _

That last one came from a rather irate parent who just couldn't believe how well Momo and Mina were doing. And she wasn't the only one. The instructors were amazed by the progress the two made, seemingly pushing each other to the absolute limit of what they could do - both physically and in terms of technical skill. They had put Mina and Momo on opposite sides of the room, not to punish them but to let the other students follow along more easily and, in theory, learn more. The others did learn something, just not in the way the instructors had expected. Or hoped for.

\---

"Okay kids, next you're going to put your left leg out to the side and angle your foot like this. Heel out." The instructor modelled the move and waited for the class to do the same.

"Minari! Your left foot is weird." Momo's voice echoed through the practice room.

Mina looked at the offending foot in the mirror, compared it to Momo's and the instructor's, and moved her heel ever so slightly back. The group of kids behind her peered around each other, adjusting their own feet accordingly.

"Thank you, Momo. Good catch! Now at the same time that leg goes out, your arms will come up on the right side like this." There was a low murmur in the class as the kids figured out how to position their limbs. Eventually they all went silent and settled down, only for a quiet voice to cut through.

"Momo." Mina's voice was soft and level. Momo looked over and Mina didn't say anything, just wiggled her arms slightly. Momo looked at her own, compared it to Mina's and the instructor's, and ever so slightly shifted the angle her elbows were rotated at. She nodded to herself and looked forward. The other students behind her followed suit.

"Momo." Mina wiggled her arms once more. Momo shifted the angle again, looking questioningly at Mina. Mina shook her head. Momo adjusted the angle a third time, getting a nod from Mina this time.

The kids behind them were left scratching their heads as they asked each other what was different between Momo's original position, second position, third position, and Mina's position. Even the instructor was subtly shifting her own elbows, looking questioningly between Momo and Mina.

"Ehh... thank you too, Mina. Good job."

\---

Mina and Momo were in the Myoui’s living room, looking at a flyer their parents had gotten from the studio.

_National Juniors Competition._

"Do we count as juniors?"

_It says ages 12 to 18._

Does that include us?

_Did you just forget your age?_

"Kind of. How old are we again?"

_You’re fourteen and I’m thirteen, Momo._

“Do you wanna enter then?”

_Yes._

"Let's get started! Bye Okaa-san! Bye Otou-san! I'll bring Minari back in a few hours!"

Mina's parents waved and watched through the window as the pair started their trek to the dance studio, Momo throwing out ideas with grand gestures while Mina simply nodded or shook her head.

To anyone else it would have looked like Momo roped Mina into doing whatever she wanted, merely staging a conversation complete with pauses where the vocal responses should have been. But both their parents knew better at this point. Momo had completely figured out how to understand Mina's subtly different silences while Mina had learned how to get Momo to do what she was told, feats the Hirai's and Myoui's respectively were begging the other child to teach them. Years of being dance partners and spending long hours together did that.

While the two were separated during elementary school and middle school, they now attended the same performing arts high school. Now around each other practically every waking moment, they rubbed off on each other. Mina's participation increased dramatically and Momo's grades... well, they went up. Momo had actually started to read silently during the silent reading periods and Mina contributed to group discussions without being forced to. They were positive influences on each other.

Mostly.

\---

"Pssst! Mina!"

Momo peered through Mina's bedroom window, trying to find the lump that was Mina on her bed. She had neglected bringing a flashlight and the fact that her nose was barely above the windowsill didn't help, even with the boost she had. Momo hopped off the box she was using and moved it closer, feeling and remembering that she had her phone in her jacket. After a short scramble to get back up, she pressed her face against the window and switched her phone's light on.

"You awake? Minari~~AHHHH!"

Momo came face to face with a sleepy looking Mina whose face was also pressed against the glass, now illuminated by Momo’s phone. Mina flinched at the bright light and swung the window open.

"Momo?" Mina was rubbing her eyes and mumbling. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick you up!" Momo frowned. They had talked about this yesterday during study hall. "We said we'd work on our competition set today and Sunday."

"Oh yeah. Sorry." Mina yawned. "I'll be out in a minute."

"When you're done come out this way! It's faster!" Momo's voice drifted through the window, registering, just barely, in Mina's mind. She nodded and got changed.

They had made it a mile down the road when Mina finally stopped yawning and suddenly turned to Momo.

"Momo?"

"Yes?"

"What time is it?"

"One. Why?"

"Why are we out at one?"

"To practice." Momo replied, looking confused. Why else would they be out?

"..."

"Is something wrong?" Momo turned to look at her best friend.

"Our parents are going to be mad."

"But they said it was okay that we go practice today." Momo's eyes couldn't have looked more innocent.

"They meant at a normal time, Momo. They don't know that we're out right now and they're going to be mad when they find out we've been out since one." Mina wasn't angry, just patiently explaining like she always did. She paused for a second before continuing to walk, linking arms with Momo.

The pair continued forward. Momo was silent, busy working through the problem in her head, while Mina kept quiet, knowing Momo was coming up with something.

They arrived all the way to the studio when Momo spoke up.

"We can just tell them we left at six instead of one."

Mina turned and looked at Momo, shoulder to shoulder, their arms still linked. She nodded and they went inside, eager to get out of the chill and start.

It would be the first lie they ever told.

\---

Weeks passed.

When she and Mina had first started choreographing their set, she promised herself that she’d stay focused. Focus would lead to good ideas and good ideas would lead to them winning. And she made good on that promise for well over a week. Then something happened.

She wasn’t sick. If she was sick her sneezes would have stopped any productivity. But it was definitely something out of the ordinary. Momo would find herself staring at Mina in the mirror instead of following along or contributing. Her face got hot and red whenever Mina got close to demonstrate an idea and it was like her brain turned to mush whenever it got a chance. It was terrible and she didn’t know why it was happening. Momo suffered through her mysterious ailment for the entirety of the second week until her curiosity, and partly her suffering, drove her to confide in her older sister after dinner.

Hana had been no help. Momo had gone through the trouble of listing out her symptoms – on paper too – and the only thing Hana had done was laugh and tell her she should talk to Mina about it. She had left Hana’s room sulking and her sister had thrown a question after her, a question she was still thinking about as she laid in bed.

_At this age you don’t know what you’re feeling?_

What did she mean ‘at this age’? It must be something everyone goes through then. Momo was well aware she was nowhere near as book smart as Mina, but she reasoned that lots of people weren’t either, so it had to do with something else. Maybe it had to do with *shudder* puberty. She didn’t even want to think about it. The talk had been enough for her. Momo tossed and turned, trying to think of what was happening. Then it hit her.

Her skin would turn red and she’d start sneezing whenever she was around dogs for too long. She'd also get a scratchy throat and her face would heat up whenever she ate salmon. And now her face would turn red and get hot around Mina. What did these three things have in common? She always touched them in one way or another. The logical conclusion? She was allergic to Mina. The only thing to do from here on out? Wear long sleeves and sweatpants.

Momo thought it was a good idea and leaped out of bed to rub it in Hana’s face. She figured it out on her own and didn’t need her stupid sister’s help after all. Waking her up at three in the morning would only be icing on the cake.

Or not.

Momo slowly climbed back into bed, wrestling with the new information Hana had just yelled at her.

_You’re not allergic to a human being you idiot! You like her as more than a friend so just kiss her already!_

\---

Momo and Mina continued working on their competition piece, taking every moment they could outside of school to reserve a room for themselves so they could work without distractions. At least that was the idea. They stopped coming so early too. Mina had reminded Momo that they still needed sleep if they were going to do their best, so instead of coming at one they came at seven. Momo was in no state of mind to argue.

At first their parents had been against them even starting at seven, not knowing that three solid weeks had gone by of the duo starting close to midnight. But they could see how much it meant to them and eventually came around. The competition was in a week and they left their children to their own devices, only needing a statement of 'We're going to practice'. The Hirai's and Myoui's had full trust in their own children. They even trusted the other family's child, though the Hirai's trusted Mina much more than the Myoui's did Momo. After all they were only kids and rather than making a mess of themselves or getting into trouble, they were working hard towards a goal. The long hours away from home and the resulting worry from the adults faded away once Momo and Mina had showcased their completed piece. The only thing left was to see them win.

The trip to Tokyo was exciting for everyone. The Hirai's had never traveled much and Momo was constantly pointing out whatever caught her eye. Mostly giant billboards with food advertisements. The Myoui's on the other hand traveled a fair amount for business but were just as excited. Mina's joy and anticipation could visibly be seen on her face and body, and her parents rarely saw that level of expression. They arrived in the afternoon and, with the competition the next day, Momo and Mina excused themselves to find a studio and practice, their parents texting them the address of the hotel and heading off to have an 'adults’ night out'.

The Tokyo practice room was much nicer than the one they were used to but that didn't matter, it had a mirror and speakers. That was more than enough. They got to work straight away, stretching and warming up before starting their rehearsal.

\---

Momo retied her shoes and stood, bouncing to get a feel for the slightly tighter fit.

"Do you wanna just go for a run-through?”

She was ready, more than ready in fact. She and Mina had been working so hard it wasn’t even a question of whether they knew their choreography or not. Now it was just up to the judges to decide if their creativity was more unique than the other competitors. Momo just wanted to get going, start moving. Anything to distract her from Mina. But apparently Mina had other plans.

“Let’s do our normal routine.”

The past few weeks had been hard to say the least. Momo had figured out that she wasn’t allergic, so at least she started contributing to their routine again, but now that she knew she liked Mina, it was the only thing on her mind.

“Aww come on! There’s no point in going through step by step anymore. We’re performing tomorrow!”

“That’s why we should stick to our usual plan.” Mina’s reply was short and to the point.

“Fiiiiiine.” Momo whined.

Mina walked over to the speaker controls, setting their track to loop and getting ready press play. Momo shuffled her feet a few more times, feeling the muscles flex from her toes up through her leg and into her stomach. As Mina turned around Momo planted her feet firmly and let her weight connect with the floor, anchoring herself. Mina’s voice drifted gently across the room.

Focus, Momo. It's just Mina.

“Ready?” Her body was turned towards Momo with her arm stretched back, finger hovering above the screen.

Momo nodded. Not like she could say no.

“Go!”

She pressed play and after a few moments of silence the speakers shook with deep bass. Mina sprinted over, her arm reaching out to tap Momo’s shoulder, before jumping back right away. Her hair flew forward as momentum caught up and the game began.

“You’re it!”

Momo pushed off her feet immediately, feeling the ground pushing back and propelling her forward to chase after Mina relentlessly. Focus, Momo. Focus.

\---

_“We’re gonna what?”_

_Momo looked up from her phone at Mina, eyebrows raised in amazement._

_“We’re going to start practices by playing tag until the song is over.” _

_Uh._

_“Why?” Momo questioned. Tinny explosions sounded off from her phone and her head snapped back down to the game she had been in the middle of. The screen faded to black with the words ‘game over’ filling the void with crimson lettering. Momo let out a whine at the sight, she had been working on that level for so long._

_“To get you more focused and burn some of that extra energy you have. I’ll be the tagger first.” Mina reached down and took the phone from Momo’s lap, eliciting more whining._

_“But I am more focused!” Momo replied. “You even said so! And what’s wrong with having energy, anyways? Do you want me to nap in the middle of rehearsal?”_

_“Stop exaggerating. And you pay more attention in school now.” Mina admitted. “But you still get distracted a little more when we rehearse. We only have a couple weeks left.” She started walking towards the speaker controls._

_“Do not.” Momo grumbled, glaring slightly at Mina’s back._

_Mina simply pointed at the game over screen in her hand to prove her point as she locked the phone and pulled up their competition track on her own. Momo just huffed and hung her head, sulking in the middle of the room. Mina’s phone was put down on the console and her hand hovered over the play button._

_“How about this Momoring?”_

_The black cloud of gloom over Momo’s head cleared as she raised her eyes to meet Mina’s._

_“I’ll do…” she paused to think. “three things for you if I’m tagged at the end of the song.”_

_Momo narrowed her eyes at the proposed bet. Mina was probably up to something, would probably try to finesse her way out of the bet._

_“Any three things?”_

_“Only if I’m it at the end of the song. If you tag me during the middle, I can still tag you back.”_

_“What if I told you to finish that level I just died on? It’s a really hard one.”_

_“Okay.” Momo was met with a shrug._

_"What if I told you to do my math homework for me?"_

_"You do remember I'm in a higher-level math class than you right?"_

_Momo hadn't remembered that._

_“What if... I ask you to buy me ask much jokbal as you can afford? And you pay for the shipping from Korea.”_

_Momo finally got the reaction she was looking for from her best friend. Mina blanched at the thought, regretting giving Momo the gift from her parents’ business trip. But, seeing Momo’s smug grin, she forced her face back to normal. She nodded, albeit reluctantly._

_“Deal.”_

_Momo stood and bent her legs, planting her feet._

_“Ready?”_

_A curt nod from Momo._

_The silence gave way as music pounded through the speakers and Mina bopped the top of Momo’s head, smiling and flying away from Momo’s reaches. Momo grinned and chased after her. _

_Mina stuck out her tongue and laughed as she backed away from Momo, her hair bouncing and catching the studio’s lights. The mole on her nose wrinkled as she laughed harder at Momo’s near wipeout. Momo laughed along with her, renewing her efforts to tag the graceful dancer. She could feel something as the game continued._

_Her allergies were coming back. No, that wasn’t right. Remember what Hana said._

_She liked Mina._

_\---_

Momo had not been able to win so far. They had fun and she could catch Mina, just never at the end of the song. Mina had a way of avoiding Momo that she just couldn’t figure out, but this time Momo was certain she could win. Over the weeks of playing tag with Mina, she noticed a few things. One of them was coming into play now.

Mina never had to stop and look behind her, something Momo just didn’t understand at first. Then she realized that Mina knew the nooks and crannies of their practice room at home like the back of her hand. Mina always faced Momo when she ran away, back pedaling and pivoting gracefully while avoiding the walls. But this wasn’t their practice room. And Momo planned to capitalize on that.

“Mina watch out!” Momo feigned a glance at an imaginary object behind Mina’s legs.

It worked. Mina turned her head to look down behind her and her pace slowed enough that Momo could tag her. But while Mina had slowed down Momo had not, half expecting her trick not to work. The two collided roughly at full Momo sprinting speed and with Mina already leaning back from her attempts to evade Momo and the latter leaning forward to tag the former, they tipped over in an instant. Momo wrapped her arms around Mina as they fell, putting a hand behind her head hoping to cushion the blow. Mina had the air driven from her lungs as Momo flopped onto her chest and the combined weight of the two girls smashed onto Momo’s knuckles. Luckily nothing was broken, and it didn’t hurt too badly, just drawing blood from split skin. But that wasn’t important.

Momo found herself lying flat on top of Mina. Her right hand, and to a lesser extent her arm, was still underneath Mina while her left was on the opposite side of Mina’s body, reaching out to push against the floor. Their legs remained tangled as Momo lifted her upper body up as far as she could with her other arm still pinned. She hurriedly scanned Mina’s face to see if she was okay but lost focus after a few short seconds.

Mina was taking deep breaths, probably to replace the air she lost on the way down, and Momo just stared. Looked at the way Mina’s hair fanned out on the floor; her fingers still tangled in those black tresses. At the delicate curve of Mina’s nose and the way her chin defined the shape of her face. How Mina’s lips were parted ever so slightly as her breathing finally levelled out. Momo finally looked into Mina’s eyes, seeing the way Mina looked back at her. The same gaze reflected back.

“Are you okay?”

Mina didn’t answer, seemingly didn’t hear the question. She just laid there, her breathing slow, looking straight at Momo. Her arms were still wrapped around Momo’s waist.

“Mina? You okay?”

Instead of an answer she was met with another question.

“What’s the first thing you want me to do?”

“Eh?”

“The bet. You won.”

Momo paused. She hadn’t even realized that. Hana’s advice came back in her mind.

“First I want you to close your eyes.”

Mina gave her a look she couldn’t quite figure out but did as she was told.

“Second I want you to tell me if you’re not okay with this.”

“Okay with wha-”

“Third I want you to let me kiss you.” Momo stopped for a moment as Mina stilled. “Is that okay?”

Mina just nodded from where she was, her eyes still closed. Momo felt a slight tug on her waist and she could feel her heart leaping into her throat. She let Mina tug her down closer but stopped a with only a centimeter between their lips. Her voice was smaller than it had ever been.

“And I’d really like it if you’d kiss me back.” It came out as nothing but a whisper, but Mina nodded again nonetheless, nodding her head even harder.

Momo leaned down, so close to Mina's lips when she stopped. 

Mina was crying.

She was _crying._

"M-Mina? What's wrong?"

Mina just shook her head, tears still flowing, and tried to pull Momo back in. But there was no way Momo could go through with it. She sat up, pulling Mina along, her arms still wrapped tight around Momo's waist. Her heart sank as Mina latched onto her even more, burying her face into Momo's neck. Maybe she shouldn't have asked.

"Are you okay? If you don't want to you don't have to. I don't want to make it wei-mmph!"

Momo found herself cut off by the pressure of Mina's lips on her own. She stiffened from the sudden contact before her mind went hazy and her eyes fluttered shut. Mina's lips were soft. Much softer than the inside of Momo's elbow, which she had used for kissing practice at the suggestion of the internet. But she was glad for the practice. Mina's lips moved frantically against her own and Momo finally unfroze. She caught Mina's lower lip, slowing the kiss and sweetening it. Savoring it. Mina seemed to get the message, moving her arms from Momo's waist to around her neck. Her breathing levelled and Momo felt a sigh hit her chin. Momo brought her hands up blindly, finding Mina without incident and cupping her hands around Mina's face. Her fingers stroked her cheeks and she felt the remains of the tears that had streaked down. That snapped her out of her reverie.

"Mina!" Momo backed off slightly. Mina chased after her, but the hands on her face kept her separate from Momo's lips. "God, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking and I made you cry but I really wanted to kiss you so when you kissed me, I kissed back even though-"

"Momo..."

Momo stopped. It was the same tone that Mina always used. The one when she was pointing out something Momo needed to fix in the choreography. The one when she was getting distracted in school but needed to focus again. The one when Momo accidentally got her in trouble and she was telling Momo that she'd always be her best friend and-

"I like you as more than a friend."

"Uh- I... you. Umm..."

"Use your words Momo." That same smile appeared when Momo did as she was told.

"But you were crying?"

Mina laughed and sat back, rubbing away the evidence of her tears.

"Those were happy tears, Momoring. I was happy you liked me back."

"Wait." Momo frowned in thought. "How'd you know I liked you?"

"Well... you did ask to kiss me."

Oh yeah. That happened.

"R-right." Momo smiled sheepishly, her hand coming up to rub the back of her head. Neither of them spoke for a while, just listening to their song still blasting through the speakers.

Momo was happy. She had been scared that Mina wouldn't be okay with kissing her and, even when Mina said she was, she was scared that Mina wouldn't feel anything for her. To find out that Mina liked her too was... cliché. Like in the movies. But clichés can be good. She had learned that her writing class. Her eyes wandered over to Mina, who was still wiping away the tears that had settled on her face. The heat rushed through her face again, but this time without messing up her focus. If anything, she was more focused. Focused on the way Mina drew her hair back, the way she smiled to herself, the way her eyes, while a little red, were gleaming and content. And Momo was too.

Content.

"We should start now." Mina was the first to get up, moving to grab her phone while Momo followed.

"Minari."

"Yes?" She turned around, phone in hand.

Momo laid her hand over Mina's, gently pushing the phone away and stepping in. She pressed a quick kiss to Mina's cheek.

"I really like you. We haven't officially said it so... will you be my girlfriend?"

The most Mina-esque, quiet 'yes' was her answer.

Momo grinned and bounded away to set for the run-through. In the mirror she could see Mina blush and she laughed in her head. When Mina didn't start the music Momo spoke up.

"Focus!"

It felt good to be the one to say it for once.

\---

Momo and Mina agreed that it wasn't good to be cocky. Confident sure but being cocky was treading into dangerous territory. To a certain extent anxiety and nerves helped to motivate their competitive spirit, to make sure they weren't getting sloppy or complacent. There was no way they would push themselves as hard as they did if they were confident in winning. So, they agreed. Be confident on stage, be wary in the practice room.

But looking across the massive hall that was being used as part practice room and part waiting room, the pair were confident in placing well. Nobody was bad, obviously not at a national competition, but it was more of the same than not. Each team had their own speaker, which could only be turned up to a certain volume per rules and courtesy. Momo guessed six of every ten speakers were playing the same song. Mina told her it was technically six and a half. Momo kissed her hard to stop the explanation she knew was coming.

The pair got a few congratulatory claps and cheers from the people nearest to them. Momo just grinned and waved, getting a smack to the back of her head from a bright red Mina for her trouble.

They knew song choice wasn't everything, but it would definitely affect the judges from a mental standpoint. There were only so many times a person could listen to the same song before starting to get bored of it. They knew their song would catch the attention of the judges, make them sit a little straighter and pay a little more attention, if only for the reason that their song wasn't the one being played by nearly every other group. Another factor they had going for them was age. Most of the competitors were older than them, juniors and seniors in high school. They'd stand out for sure once they were announced. The only other person their age was someone named Lalisa Manoban. An international competitor and the only solo competitor. Mina and Momo appreciated her confidence.

The three were sitting against the wall, taking a break as they scouted their competition. Lalisa, they found out she preferred Lisa but Momo called her Lala, wasn't completely fluent in Japanese, but they managed. Afterall they had the internet.

"They're not...uh." Lisa gestured towards a group and typed into her phone. "Beautiful."

Momo inhaled the water she was drinking, coughing and spluttering as she laughed. Mina patted her back while leaning over to look at the translation that Lisa showed her. Lisa looked at the two questioningly. Mina took the phone and typed in the Japanese word for 'beautiful' before translating it back to Thai. Lisa took one look at the phone and blushed, waving her hands back and forth as she shook her head in a panic.

"No no... uhm."

Mina put in 'synchronized' and translated it. She handed the phone back to Lisa and the girl nodded furiously. Mina did some more translating on her phone and turned back to Lisa. Momo was just confused by the whole conversation. Translating Thai to Japanese and back, sometimes translating one to English then to the other and back and... yeah no.

"We say that they're not clean. It means the same thing as synchronized."

Lisa nodded again.

"They're not... clean."

Momo looked over to the group and watched them run through their sections again. Lala was right. They were good as individuals for sure, great even. But as a group they lacked cohesion, even more so since they had six people. It felt like six solo dancers that happened to be doing the same routine near each other, instead of one group performing one piece. And they weren't the most in sync either. She turned back to compliment Lala's good eye but stopped short.

This Lalisa was all up on her Mina. Head on the shoulder and everything. And what was Mina doing? Nothing. Not even looking at Lisa. Mina had the gall to hold Momo's hand and allow this stranger to lay her head on Momo's shoulder. Okay, it wasn't actually Momo's shoulder. But Mina was hers, Momo thought, so Mina's shoulder was her shoulder. She had called dibs already. Nobody just disrespects the dibs.

"Minari look! One of the officials is giving out free ketchup bottles over there!"

"Where?!"

Mina moved so quickly that Lisa flopped right over, her only support now a good fifteen feet away. Momo took the chance and scooted over in front of Lisa, putting a hand on her shoulder to keep her down.

"Mina is mine. Back off."

She was met with a confused gaze. Lisa just handed her phone to Momo in silence. Huffing and pouting, Momo typed in her threat. Lisa read over it and laughed. She _laughed_. The Thai dancer sat up and shook her head at Momo, a smile spreading across her face. Momo was about to type something much worse when Mina suddenly appeared behind her.

"I couldn't find him. They probably ran out since there's so many people over there."

"Aww sorry Minari."

Mina sat back down between the two, returning to her phone. Momo scooted back to where she was and put her hand on her thigh, palm facing up and fingers open, waiting for Mina to take it. She waited. And waited. Nothing. She looked over and nearly popped a vein at the sight. Lisa was leaning in, whispering something in Mina's ear, laughing the entire time. And Mina was laughing with her. Lisa made eye contact with Momo behind Mina's head and smirked, sending a wink over. Momo stretched her arms above her head, flipping Lisa the middle finger as her arms came back down. Lisa finally backed away from Mina, but not before saying one last thing that made Mina blush. Momo was ready to defend her territory.

"I'm going to practice more. Good luck!"

"Bye Lisa!"

"..."

Momo glared at the back of Lisa's head as she walked away. This girl tried to just come in and take her Mina. Who did she think she was? People these days have no respect. Momo's thoughts continued down this path until Mina filled her field of view.

"Momo?" Mina whispered.

"Hmm?" Momo shifted slightly, letting her see Mina and glare at Lisa through the mirror at the same time.

"Can I..." Her voice drifted off and blood rushed to her face. "Can I have a kiss?"

Momo felt her neck heat up. Sure, she didn't mind showing affection in public, they were just new at this. The question felt so... intimate. But Momo would never refuse. She nodded and her hand found Mina’s cheek, gently pulling her in. They parted with a louder than necessary pop, all part of Momo’s effort to spite Lisa. Mina sat back down, leaning her head on Momo's shoulder, taking her arm and hugging it. Momo smiled down at the top of Mina’s head before looking back in the mirror. Lisa was looking at her. With her free hand, Momo drew her thumb across her neck, smirking victoriously. Lisa scoffed and looked away.

"Momo look at the meme I sent you." Mina's voice drew her attention.

While Momo was busy with her phone, Mina found Lisa's eyes in the mirror. The two smiled and shared a knowing wink. Mina glanced down at the translation she had pulled up. She sounded it out in her head before looking back up. Lisa was still looking. Mina mouthed some words to her.

_Thank you._

\---

They had won first place. That wasn't the surprising part. In fact, their parents had already been standing and applauding for them as second place was being announced, much to their kids' embarrassment. The surprising part came after. Momo leaned in to whisper as the other teams left the stage.

"There was a prize?"

_I didn't know either._

"Did it say so on the poster?"

_... I don't think I read the entire poster._

"Whoops."

A man stood from the judges’ table. He introduced himself as the Director of Dance at Waseda University. How he ever got to be a dance department’s director was a mystery to Momo, the man looked more fit to run a corporation than judge creativity.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Hirai Momo and Myoui Mina! Winners of the National Juniors Competition and the new junior dance representatives of Japan!"

Applause filled the room, their parents ecstatic at the news.

"Did he just say we're Japan's dance representatives?"

_Junior representatives._

"Admittedly the association did not predict dancers of their age to win, but we'd still like to extend our offer with special accommodations."

_Offer?_

"Beats me."

"Waseda University would be proud to offer Ms. Hirai and Ms. Myoui specialized supplemental courses in addition to their full scholarship. That way, they will be able to pursue Waseda's finest dance programs while they finish their secondary education, then immediately start as university students. We, the Board of Dance and Waseda University, would be honored if you will accept."

"Woah."

_Woah._

"Of course, we will discuss in further detail with you ladies and your parents at a later date, but for now, another round of applause for Hirai Momo and Myoui Mina; Japan’s junior dance representatives!”

Another round of applause was sparked. Momo could see their parents already surprised faces shift into amazement, turning to the other couple with the same question.

_Did you know? _

_No, we didn’t. _

_They didn’t tell you? _

_Not us either!_

A tug on her hand pulled Momo off-stage and into the empty wings of the stage.

“Oh my god Momo I can’t believe we did it!” Mina was ecstatic, practically shaking in her excitement. “We won! And the scholarship! How’d we miss it?”

Momo almost laughed at the Mina’s puzzled expression, almost a polar opposite of what she looked like two seconds ago. “I’m gonna blame the fine print.”

“Momoring.” Mina scolded. “You can’t blame the fine print. Legally, it’s there so it’s our fau –”

Momo yanked Mina in, melding their lips instantly. A few breathless moments later they came up for air, foreheads still pressed together and arms holding each other tightly.

“You know what I meant.” Momo giggled at the Mina’s offended pout.

It all felt so right to Momo in that instant. To be fresh off the stage, awards received, with Mina by her side. Knowing that weeks of hard work had paid off in the end, and it seemed like Mina felt the same. The urge to smile hit Momo so hard, one growing on Mina as well. They both laughed at the situation, part disbelief and amazement in the sound. Mina’s turned into a wet chuckle after a few moments, and they quickly moved at the request of the stage manager. The stage crew moved frantically around the pair to set up for the next division, but all Momo could see were the way Mina’s cheeks strained from her gummy smile and the trail glistening on the side of her face – Momo knew they were tears of happiness this time.

At least that’s what Momo assumed she saw, her own tears were making it pretty hard to see.


End file.
